A Variation on Traditional Bean Piyaz, This Time with Chickpeas: Nohut Piyazı

If you order piyaz in a restaurant, the odds are that a colourful healthy salad made with beans, tomatoes and hard-boiled eggs will appear in front of you. It’s often known as Turkish Bean Salad abroad and is a traditional accompaniment to köfte here in Turkey.

But perhaps unsurprisingly, depending on region. piyaz can also be made with lentils or chickpeas. Very often these pulses are interchangeable. I for one have really got to grips with them after all these years of living in Turkey! Which means I’m game for any vegetarian visitor who comes our way.

The chickpeas can be either dried or tinned. I have to say that there is a difference in taste and consistency between the two so if you have time, do go to the trouble of soaking overnight and then boiling. NB the freshness of your dried chickpeas makes a difference too. But for the sake of convenience, the tin will usually win out so it couldn’t be easier to make. I love this salad as it has all my favourite flavours: garlic, cumin, onion and lemon juice. They all come together to make a really zingy salad and one that will keep a few days in the fridge quite happily.

It wouldn’t go with fish but definitely with meat, and for the vegetarian, it’s perfect.

Just gather all the ingredients in a bowl

Chickpea Salad /Nohut Piyazı

adapted from Özcan Ozan’s Sultan’s Kitchen

serves 4-6

Ingredients

2 cups dried chickpeas/nohut, soaked and drained, then cooked in a saucepan with 3½ cups water for approx. 1½ hrs and 2 tsp salt OR 4 cups tinned, drained (1 large tin)

1 red onion, finely chopped (½ cup)

2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely chopped (1 cup)

2 garlic cloves, chopped

½ bunch flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

½ tsp flaked red pepper/pul biber

2 tsp cumin/kimyon

2 tsp paprika

1/4 cup lemon juice

5 tbsp olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Place chickpeas in a bowl along with the onion, tomatoes, garlic and spices. pour over the lemon juice and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss well.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

To serve, arrange in a shallow dish or on a bed of lettuce leaves with some pita bread alongside.